Nico Rosberg has just announced his retirement from F1. He's only 31, you'd think he'd fancy defending his title next year. I don't really follow F1, but I've noticed a few countries seem to be pulling out of hosting races next year?
Wow that is a shock, Germany isn't in the calendar for an F1 race next year, so whether that has anything to do with his decision.
I thought Malaysia had also pulled out, but I just saw they've announced 2017 will go ahead but it will be their last one.
wowzers, retire at the top is a good way to go, I think there may have been some internal fall out within Mercedes after Hamilton's perfectly legitimate approach to the past race, and this could be a toys out of the pram move from Nico, equally it could well be realising full well he'll not win the title again if he stays in the same team as the obviously superior Hamilton
It's being replaced by a French GP, hosted at a track Ecclestone owns, and no, it's been his life long dream to be F1 champ and now he's done it he's gonna concentrate on his family.
Well he knows he wont win next year, he's definitely not as good a driver as Hamilton and this years title win was largely down to more luck with his car, compared to Hamilton who had less luck. So yeah, quit while you're number one. He's achieved something massive, well paid for it, but ultimately it's ****ing dangerous. Good decision for him I imagine. Not like he's gonna be scrimping by for the rest of his life is it?
slightly OT but news on Schumacher http://www.christiantoday.com/artic...d.to.celebrate.racers.achievements/102395.htm
Be interesting to see who gets his seat .. would love to see what young Max Verstappen would do in that car .. be good for Hamilton as well .. keep the cocky fkr on his toes
The engine, most of the technical staff, the investment, R&D into chassis and shell development - beyond that, not much is German.
Not knocking him, he's a nice guy. Seems he wants to spend more time with his family, and you know, money he's got, title now, why not? Good luck to him.
The man has no Class! at a time when F1 circuits are losing money and are starting to pull out: Germany announced it a few days ago, Brazil is looking like it is going to pull out, Malaysia have said 2018 will be the last year due to ticket sales and even the British GB might be deferred for a year in 2018 due to money! Way to go Nico when the sports needs people to go watch it the world champion pulls out, when two greats and popular drivers had already said they where retiring at the end of the season
F1 have allowed teams to fix engine issues in one go again due to them binning the stupid token system. The 2017 season is also bringing in many major changes to how the car will be designed including far wider tyres. It's highly unlikely any car will be as utterly dominant as the Merc has been iin 2014/15/16. Rosberg knows this he also knows that he isn't a natural driver like Hamilton and neither is he as good as a wheel to wheel racer. Add all that together and it means one thing Hamilton will be Merc #1 in 2017 because Merc wont be far enough in front to be able to just say 'our drivers can race'. Someone will have to be given preferential treatment and there is no way Hamilton will take a back seat to Rosberg. Rosberg has got out before he gets battered by a highly motivated driver who will go down as one of the best of all time and who he will have to play second fiddle to.
The engines are built by Mercedes AMG F1 in Northamptonshire, the car and all its development also takes place in Northamptonshire and almost all the key technical staff are English.
The only thing German is the budget , though of course that's vital, hell, even the team ons is Austrian.
